by Stella Price
If Rhys was thinking that about the Tulane family, why the hell was he so into Phaedra? She let the idea roll around in her head a bit and then realized it didn’t matter. Phaedra was a radical factor these days, one that obviously didn’t matter much to him as his girlfriend anymore if he was declaring Saffron had taken up that mantle.
They left soon after to Rhys’ parent’s house where things were a lot more relaxed. Their place was a large Victorian as well, but without the wrought iron facing. It had a large wraparound porch and a turret, and was painted a bright blue with yellow and purple accents. Saffron walked up the brick walkway and sighed, feeling at peace.
Rhys grinned like a cat at her. “I know it’s rather mo, but it’s good to be home.”
“How long has it been?”
“Almost two and a half years.” He said absently as they crossed the threshold into what could only be described as bedlam.
Three children ran past them with what looked like fake swords. The waved at Rhys and then kept going upstairs.
“Wow.”
“My cousin’s kids. They think they are Knights. At least they did last time I was home. They could be Somali pirates now for all I know.”
Music was playing in the background, an old ragtime kinda sound that Saffron identified as a cross between Creole Jazz and country. The sound came from the parlor where two old timers sat playing chess. They looked up and smiled and greeted them and then went back to their game.
“Uncle Silas and Uncle Wilfred. They have been playing that game for at least a year.”
“Really into chess huh?” Saffron said as they made it past the parlor door.
“Nah, they are trying to figure out how to play.” He winked as her and pulled her along past two more rooms, one with a TV that was on without sound. They walked into the kitchen, a much more inviting one then at the Tulane household and Saffron immediately felt at home.
The room was large, quite possibly the largest she had ever been in, and smelled like fresh cornbread. The cabinets were white washed, but well worn, obvious evidence that the kitchen was used and loved. The counters were all butcher block, rife with scars and the sink was an apron front farm house sink.
Rhys guided them to a large table and Saffron ran her hands over the old wood, her fingers dipping and rolling over the pock marks and striations.
“It’s beautiful” she said absently as she touched it.
“It’s reclaimed. We used to have a barn out back, and when Otto decided to tear it down, mom wanted something to remember it by, so me, Winter and Otto made a legacy table out of it that summer. It seats fifteen, which is good.”
Saffron cocked her head in inquiry.
As if on cue, the back door opened and Rhys’ mother walked in and smiled. “Whole family is here darling. You know they never were ones for that fancy shit Twyla put out,” she looked at Saffron, “Though they do like the woman’s bourbon.”
Saffron laughed and Rhys grabbed two aprons. “Can we help?”
Chloe nodded. “Grab that tray, fried chicken, and Saffron? Sweetheart will you please grab the other two? I’ll grab the cornbread, it’s just finished.”
Rhys and Saffron grabbed the trays and Rhys motioned to the back door.
“Yes love, back door, well get some good food in her, and you. Neither you nor Winter Look like you have been eating much recently.”
Rhys groaned and he and Saffron walked out to the backyard and into a large open air tent with fans circulating the warm air. There were ten people back there, nine she didn’t know and one she did. Winter saw them and grabbed one of the trays from Saffron and then grinned.
“Different huh?” he asked as he set it down next to the tray Rhys was carrying and then took the other from her.
Saffron nodded. “More…”
“Real? Yeah. And nothing beats Mah’s chicken.”
Rhys smirked. “She’s already telling me we aren’t eating enough.”
“That won’t be a problem tonight buddy trust me.”
They walked back towards the kitchen and both laughed when Winter called everyone a bunch of ‘jackals’ and to ‘wait till Mah got everything out’.
“You hungry?” Rhys asked as they walked up the stairs to the back door.
“Does it matter?”
Rhys shook his head. “Old Cajun women are very much like old Italian women, they hate to see a women with no curves.”
“Are you implying I have no curves?” Saffron asked as they gained the kitchen.
“Hell no, you got a body that will stop a clock. I just mean we need to keep it as lush and sexy as it is… working off all those calories…” he trailed off and pulled her to him and kissed her.
“Ah, now children there’s a time and place…” Chloe said as she piled thick pieces of cornbread on a large platter.
Rhys smiled and winked. “Anything else that needs to go out?”
Chloe motioned to the table. “Everything there, and the sun tea.”
“Got that…” Winter said as he walked in.
“Who is watching the food?” Saffron said with a grin.
Winter snickered. “Otto has the bull whip out.”
“Does he? Damn it…” Chloe said and washes her hands and walked toward the backyard.
Saffron just frowned. “Why is your mother pissed?”
Rhys gave her a mischievous look. “Because my father does really have a bull whip.”
Saffron’s eyes went wide and Rhys smirked. “He’s pretty good with it, though I don’t think he’s ever actually hit the family with it, it’s still a beautiful deterrent.”
“Amen to that. So?” Winter said and smiled.
“Let’s eat…” Rhys said and kissed Saffron before the three of them walked out, laden with platters and trays.
***
Night fell with a blanket of constellations, setting the sky alive with light and wonder. Fireflies dance from the furthest reaches of the yard as the kids ran to capture them, mason jars in hand.
Saffron sat on a bench swing with Rhys, a beer in her hand and her stomach full. The party, take two, as Rhys and Winter were calling it, went much better than the one at the Tulane household.
Nyx, Chandler and Tosh showed up soon after the food was brought out and it was a relaxed affair full of good food and laughter. And what’s more, she didn’t feel like she was intruding, quite the contrary in fact. Everyone went out of their way to introduce themselves to her, and talk to her. They were all nice, and the smile on their faces got larger when Rhys would come to her and kiss her, or wrap his arms around her waist for a second. They approved of their budding relationship, made her feel welcome and accepted. It was exactly how her family would treat Rhys if she bought him home.
Rhys leaned his head on her shoulder and she smirked.
“You have a huge family.” She said and entwined her fingers with his.
“Hardly. Most of these people are friends that have ended up family, like Winter and the rest of the band. My parents house is rarely empty, whether it’s with actually tangible bodies or ghosts, Someone is always up and about, even at four am. It’s why I moved out as soon as I was able to.”
“Sleep hard?”
“Nonexistent. The living make noise all night and the dead want to talk. Otto and Chloe have an open door policy that’s well known in both realms so, it was safer to just move out and ward my own place.”
Saffron nodded. Made sense. “So where do you live?”
“I got a loft on the Rue Royale, though I’m rarely there. Thank god I don’t have plants or pets there.”
Saffron laughed. “Well then you would have plant and animal haunting to content with.”
“Oh I have an animal haunting.” He said and smirked. “I’ll introduce you later when we go.”
“So you assume that I’m going home with you Mr. Bellamy?” she teased.
“Counting on it.” Was all he said and tipped his beer to his lips.
Nyx walked ove
r with two beers in her hands and passed one to Rhys. “I’m borrowing her for a few minutes.”
“For?”
“Show her your baby pictures that Chloe has all over the second floor.” Nyx said with mischief.
Rhys groaned and shook his head. “Horrible skank.”
Nyx grabbed Saffron’s hand and hauled her to her feet and then tugged her towards the house.
“What’s so special about baby pictures?” Saffron asked as they walked through the kitchen towards the grand staircase.
Nyx didn’t answer her, only guided her up the stairs to the second floor hallway. She flipped the side switch and the hallway illuminated, showing four doors on each side of them, as well as small tables with large arrangements od flowers on them. The hallway smelled heavenly and Saffron closed her eyes to enjoy the deep inhalation of floral scents.
They walked forward and Nyx motioned to the pictures on the wall. Most of them were of Rhys, in various stages of growing up.
“He was cute.” Saffron said and looked at Nyx.
“He was. When we were little I had a crush on him. Still did till high school. Notice something in each picture?”
Saffron looked at another and then another and then blinked. The one in front of her was of him sitting on the front steps of the house, with a white smear close to him. The picture next to that one was of him at Christmas, sitting under the tree, opening a present, and again, a white smear was close to him. She looked at another, and then another, each time there was a white mass or fog near him. Saffron looked over to Nyx, a question on her lips that never got to be spoken.
“I just wanted to show you, he’s not lying about the ghosts’ thing.”
Saffron frowned. “I didn’t think he was, but this is… wow.. His entire life?”
Nyx nodded. “Well until he got warded. It wouldn’t do to be a rock star and all your pictures were ruined by the dead wanting to be near you.”
“I can see that.” Saffron walked down father and saw a few more pictures of Rhys with his riders, and then, a more recent picture, one from a magazine, the first they were all in, and there wasn’t anything. Apparently the warding worked.
“Where is he warded cuz Nyx, I have seen the man naked and aside from some pop culture tattoos and empire affiliations I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.”
Nyx shuddered. “I don’t wanna know, but Xxieda did it when we signed with her, actually it was a concession in the contract. Odd I know but he really couldn’t do the job otherwise.”
“Ok so explain to me, cuz I know he won’t, if he’s warded why can he still see them?”
Nyx shrugged. “X thinks that it’s because he can control who comes through now, Like his guide Reemus and the others from his family still floating around.”
“And Phaedra?”
“He’s always been open to Phaedra. I just think the snot wants him to suffer.”
At that, the bulb down the hall broke, popping and sending glass everywhere. Nyx was not fazed.
“Oh give it up.” She said and focused her attention down the hall.
Saffron looked at her. “What was that?”
Nyx motioned down the hall. “Probably Phaedra. Just because she’s never contacted Rhys, there’s not a shot in hell I don’t believe she’s not still floating about.”
Saffron noted that Winter said the same thing, in not so many words.
“You know, this is all too much to take in Nyx.”
“I know, believe me. But you take it well, being completely human.”
Saffron frowned. “And you’re not?”
Nyx shook her head. “Only Chandler is in the band, though he deals well.”
“Dare I ask?”
“You could, but I don’t talk about it. Let’s just say that I have my own tricks, and like Rhys, mine are inherent.”
“Fair enough. It’s… well its crazy so much exists in the world…”
“You do know stories don’t come from nowhere, they are all pretty much based in some sort of fact. We live and love like anyone else; we just have that something a little extra.”
Saffron looked at Nyx. “They guys don’t know do they?”
Nyx shook her head. “My burden, my curse. Which is why this doesn’t leave us.”
“And ‘Phaedra’?”
Nyx scoffed. “Please, that little display probably drained her to hell and gone, she’s not here.”
They walked back down the stairs and met Rhys in the entryway of the house just as he was on his way up.
“Have a good time?” he asked Saffron as she descended the final four stairs.
“You were a cutie as a baby.” She winked and he grinned.
“Obviously. It’s stuck through adulthood too. So? Things are winding down out back, you wanna bounce?”
“What time is it?”
“Almost midnight.” He swung a set a keys around his finger.
Saffron nodded. She had a bunch to do tomorrow and hitting it up tired was not the best idea.
They said their goodbye’s to Nyx and then Chloe who was standing on the front porch. Rhys’ mother hugged Saffron tight.
“Darling don’t be a stranger okay?
Saffron nodded to the older woman and watched as she hugged her son and kissed him on the cheek. “You bring him home more often, He’s been away too long.”
Rhys kissed his mother back and then grabbed Saffron’s hand. “Tomorrow mah. Sleep well.”
“I would say the same to you but something tells me it’s going to be a long night.”
Saffron turned, a blush on her cheeks and saw Chloe’s visage and the embarrassment died. The woman’s mouth was a grim line, her jaw set hard. Whatever she was talking about, it wasn’t a cheeky comment about their sex life.
“Be safe, both of you, And Rhys, light a candle tonight.”
Rhys nodded and walked towards the car, a tricked out black PT cruiser and opened the door, helping Saffron inside. She sat as he closed the door and looked around the interior. Plush, it was as dark as the outside of the car was, covered in chrome and wood accents.
Rhys slipped in the door and started the car, and the entire bottom of it erupted in a soft purple light from the LED bulbs hidden in the floor. Saffron laughed. “This isn’t your car is it?”
“My brother’s actually. He says it looks like a hearse for midgets so it works I think.”
“Why?”
“Well our family are actually morticians, except for me and a few others, everyone else has followed the calling. Some of us just can’t handle the constant barrage of newly dead so… we do other things.”
“I didn’t know your parents were morticians?”
“Actually my mother is, Otto is the funeral home manager. He doesn’t do well with the bodies, but the after effects, the ghosts, he handles quite well.”
“And your mother, she’s got this gift too?”
Rhys nodded. “Which is rare. They met when she lost her great aunt Aura and Otto was at the cemetery as well… Love at first sight apparently.”
“Like calls to like.” Saffron offered and stretched. “So Colin didn’t need the car?”
“He has class tomorrow, and can’t drive in yet. Apparently spots are reserved for upperclassmen. He’s got another year.”
“Ah.”
They drove in silence a while, Rhys holding her hand as he negotiated the narrow streets and alleyways. Saffron watched out the windows, the night going by deep and inky. They turned onto a under lit street and then quickly into a courtyard. Rhys parked and turned off the car. He turned to her and smiled. “Come on.”
Saffron nodded and Rhys got out and went to her door and helped her out, ever the gentleman. They climbed a set of stairs and he produced a key and opened the door and stepped inside.
The air was sweet, especially for a place where the occupant hadn’t been there in almost a year. Saffron commented on it and Rhys closed the door.
“Chloe comes by weekly and airs the plac
e out. She was here earlier and opened the windows and the doors to the balcony. And I think Colin pops by when he wants to party, though we won’t tell Chloe that.” He winked and turned on the switch, the room exploding into stark relief for a second before the lights settled into a warm glow.
For a single guy’s place, the loft was well decorated. A large couch dominated the space, with a small nook kitchen and a counter with stools just to the side of it. Several mix and match tables and lamps littered the rest of the space, along with a large flat screen and AV equipment.
The walls were a tasteful grey, the carpet was charcoal, and all the art on the walls were actually framed. Saffron was impressed.
“You know, any time I have walked into a guys place, the furniture looks from a yard sale, the walls look like they haven’t painted in a dogs age, and any posters are hung up with tape.
Rhys walked past her and grabbed the remote and flicked the television on. “I’m of the mind that if it’s not worth framing, it’s not worth hanging up. But then again, Nyx’s parents own a framing firm, so I’m sure that has a lot to do with it.”
Saffron laughed. “Possibly.”
“You want something to drink?”
Saffron shrugged. “You planning to get me drunk and have your way with me?”
Rhys rolled his eyes. “Hardly. I don’t keep alcohol here. Remember when I said Colin comes to hangout? Bastard cleaned me out once, I have learned better since. There’s probably sweet tea, Coffee and tea in the kitchen.”
“So you cook?”
“Hell no. aside from the fridge and microwave and coffee pot, I’m exiled from attempting to use anything in that room.”
“Set it afire?”
He nodded. “Toaster. Goddamn pop tarts are vicious.”
Saffron nodded and then moved further into the space, towards the small hallway.
“Bathroom and bedroom is down there, and the other door leads down to the bottom floor, used to be our practice space till X got us a studio downtown. Now it’s storage for the mortuary.”
Saffron turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, Coffins. You getting kinky?”
Saffron scoffed and walked toward the hallway. “I’m using your bathroom.”
“Be my guest.” He said as he walked into the kitchen.
